Powder charging device



Filed Dec. 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mi N mm mm A v.v

Feb. 13, 1945. w s REYNOLDS 2,369,251

POWDER CHARGING DEVICE Filed Dec. 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR srAr/oN RY "7 Zia}, HOPPER Pas/770M ATTORNEYS SLIDE. Moves RO 1 Happen To SHE/.1. (HARE- ING Pod/770M Patented Feb. 13, 1945 POWDER CHARGING DEVICE Warren S. Reynolds, Stratford, Conm, assignor to Remington Arms Co tion of Delaware Application December 12, 1 941, Serial No. 422,666

mpany, Inc., a corpora- 2 Claims. (01. 222--'l6) The present invention relates v to a powder charging device, particularly of the type adapted for charging a cartridge shell with a predetermined quantity of powder, and wherein it is extremely important that the powder charge for' cartridge shells of a given size be exactly uniform as to weight, area, and consistency, irrespective of variations in the time periods between each charging operation, or other variables incident to the production of cartridge shells. I H

In previously known charging devices, it has been customary to move a slide, dial, or other similar conveying means having. one or more charging orifices between a hopper'and the cartridge shell, but in these devices there has been no direct control of the time period when the conveying means has been in the hopper position, or the time period in moving from the hopper position to the shell charging position, and as a.

result the powder would pack to a greater or less extent in the charging orifice of the conveyor in correspondence to variations in the time period in relation to the hopper, so that while the area of the conveyor orifice would remain the same, there would be a variation in the weight and consistency of the powder.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder charging device in which the feed slide. is automatically stopped in its movement during each cycle of operation, the stopping point being removed from the hopper position, and preferably intermediate the shell and hopper positions, the cycle of operation then consisting in moving the slide through a continuous cycle from the stop point to the hopper position, from the hopper position immediately to the shell position, and from the shell position to the stop point, and wherein each component of the cycle is t all times uniform as to timing. In particular, the time period between each shell charging operation may vary considerably in the removal of the charged shell and the placing in position of an empty shell, without affecting the time period of the feed slide in relation to the hopper and during its immediately following movement to the. shell filling position which will at all times be uni}. form. As the powder'is .not permitted to accumulate in-the measuring orifice of the feed slide until immediately before the discharge ofthe powder into thecartridge shell, and as the time period in relation to the hopper-is uniformly controlled, a uniform charging of the cartridge shells will result.

'With the above and other objects in view, an

embodiment of the invention'is shown in the accompanying drawingsand this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a. powder charging device, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, and showing the feed slide in the shell charging position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partially insection.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the device with the. feed slide in its automatically stopped position intermediate the shell charging and slide filling hopperpositions, the shell holding jig be: ing removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the device taken along the line '4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing the feed slide in the hopper position.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the cam element for driving and controlling the movement of the feed slide, and showing the positions of the cam during the several component operations of a single cycle.

the orificeis moved to the left.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of an alternative wiring diagram.

Similar reference characters indicate corre-'-' sponding parts throughout the several figures of the'drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the powder charg ing device, according to the exe-mplary embodiment of the invention shown therein, comprises a fiat base plate [0, near one forward edge of which there is mounted a frame member, preferably in the form of a metal casting, and consisting of vertically disposed parallel side walls I Ill havingoutwardly projecting base flanges l2-5I2 secured to the plate It] by bolts l3, and a horizontally extending slideway base portion l4 disposed transversely between the side walls vl l, the side walls being provided at their upper ends with outwardly extending flanges l5 upon which the slideway cover member I6 is secured by means of bolts .11. The slideway is provided with a bottom plate or fixed base for the slide l8 secured to the slide- 7 way base portion M by means of bolts IT, and this plate projects forwardly from the slideway base to extend over the shell to be-charged, as will I presently more fully'appea'r. The projecting portion of the plate 18 is provided with a downward- 1y tapered powder releasing opening 20, through which the powder is released from the slide carrier orifice to the shell. The upper surface of the slide to the right of the measuring orifice serves to close the hopper discharge opening when The slideway base portion l4 of the frame member also projects forwardly from the side walls I I beneath the forwardly projecting portion of the plate I8, where it is provided with a semicircular recess wall 2| concentric to the hole 20, and Which provides a positioning pocket for the shell carrying jig, as will presently more fully appear. I The slide'cover plate I6 is provided'at its forward portion with a circular pedestalformation 22 provided with a downwardly tapered hopper discharge opening 23, the outer wall of the pedestal being annularly recessed, as at 24, to pro- 'vide'an upstanding lip portion upon which the lower-cylindrical attaching end 25 of the powder dispensing hopper 26 is secured bysetscrews 27.

The feed slide member 28 is'engaged forreciprocating sliding movement in the slideway, and. is provided in its forward portion with a cylindrical opening 29 in which a cylindrical orificemember 30, having a downwardly tapered powder measuring orifice 3! extending vertically there- ,through,is secured by means of aset screw 32 and lock nut 33. This orifice member is removable and interchangeable with other members of differentpowder capacities. The diameter ofthe upper end of the orifice 3| corresponds substantially to the diameter of the lower end of the funnel discharging passage 23 of the hopper, and the diameter of the lower end of the orifice 3| shell filling cycle of operation of the machine. I Upon thus startingthe motor, the cam moves becorresponds substantially to the diameter of the powder releasing opening 20 and in changing the orifice member, the plate member l8 and the slide [cover member l6 may be interchanged with other plate and cover members having'their openings 7 of matching size to the orifice member. 3

The intermediate portion of the slidemember is preferably hollowed out at its underside, as at 34, to reduce its weight, and its rearward end 'is provided with a vertically arranged centrally disposed slot recess 35 in whichis pivotally connected, by means of a cross-pin 36, the forward end of the slide driving link 31.

Thelink is provided at its other end with a longitudinally disposed slot 38 in which is con- :nected the eccentric driving stud member 39 of the eccentric driving disc and cam member'40. The stud 39 has a spacing disc 4| engaged there- .on between the face of the disc 46 and the link,

a bearing collar member 42 engaged thereon within the slot 36 of-the link, and a washer-43 and retaining nut 44 screwed upon its reduced shouldered threaded end portion-'45, the Washer 43 and the spacing disc 49 being spaced bythe collar 42. to provide clearness for free sliding movement of the slotted end of the link upon the Upon the "periphery of the driving disc and cam member 46 there is provided at one point a cam projection 5| having a mounting plate portion 62 secured to the side 'of the member '40 by means of screws 53. This camprojection 5| is located at a predetermined point upon the periphery of the cam disc, substantially diametrically opposite to the eccentric stud 39 in the illustrated form of the invention, and is adapted to actuate at one point in the rotation of the cam unit 55 mounted upon thebase plate ID. This micro-switch unit is of a type having a normally closed. circuit, the pressure of the plunger 54 Idisc; the plunger member 54 'of a micro-switch Y shown at .56.

yond the micro-switch which thereupon closes the circuit so that the motor continues to run while the driving disc and cam member 46 rotate through a single revolution, whereupon the cam projection again engages the micro-switch to open the circuit and stop the motor. 1

In Fig. 6 is shown an alternative connection for that illustrated in Fig. 3. 49 diagrammatically represents the motor and 54 the microswitch, operated by the camil Fig, 3). The leads from the power line are 62 illustrates generally'a threepole relay having a holding magnet 64 and switch blades 65, 66 and 61, with 'a common switch operator shown schematically at 63 connecting the three blades together and operated by the holding magnet 64. A spring 69 tends to hold the relay in open position when themagnet 6.4 is not energized. When in the energized or holding position, as shown in Fig. 6, the motor 49 receives 'power through switch blades 65, 66 from the power source at '56. The dotted lines indicate the switch blades in open position. .When cam 5| opens switch 54, the source of power for the holding magnet 64' is broken so that spring 69 will open the. switch blades 65, 66 and 61. The holding circuit for the magnet is from lead 19, magnet 64, lead H, switch blade 61, lead 12, switch 54,.lead 13. Leads 19' and 13 are across the source of power at 56. In order to start the device,the push button 14 is operated, completing a connection between lead 'H ,lead 15, lead 16, lead 13, thus energizing the magnet so that the relay will close and switch blades 65, 66 and 61 will againbe inoperative position, energizing motor 49 and the holding magnet 64. Push button 14 is normally open.

Y In the operation of the device, the shell 59, to

becharged with powder, is vertically engaged in thecycle, the starting switch 5'!- is momentarily closed, starting'the motor and the rotation of the eccentric driving disc and cam member 46..

During the first segment of rotation, the eccentric stud 39 whichis engaged with the rearward end of .the link slot 38 draws the link 3'! rearwardly, bringing the orifice 3linto register with the discharging opening 23 of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 4. The slide thereupon remains stationary as the stud 39 continues to move through the next segment of rotation moving forwardly in the. link slot 38. Upon reaching the forward end of the slot the stud 39 in moving through the next v I /I/ (as shown in segment of rotation pushes the link forwardly, moving the slide forwardly to bring the powder filled orifice 3| into register with the powder,

releasing opening 20. At this point the powder is released and empties into the shell, the slide remaining stationary during this operation as the stud continues to move through thenext segment of rotation, moving from the forward to the rearward end of the slot 38. Thereupon the stud as it moves through the next segment of rotation imparts rearward movement to the link, moving the slide to a point where the orifice 3| is between the hole 20 and the discharge opening 23 of the hopper. At this point, the device is automatically stopped through the engagement of the cam 5| with the plunger 54 of the microswitch 55. The jig containing the charged shell is then removed from beneath the opening 20 and another jig containing an empty shell is placed in charging position, whereupon the cycle of operation is repeated by momentarily closing the starting switch 51.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described herein is typical and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention is capable of embodiments in other forms,.

all falling within the scope of the appended claims, which are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a powder charging device for cartridge shells, powder dispensing hopper means having a hopper'discharge opening; a fixed slide base having a powder releasing opening spaced laterally from said discharge opening; a reciprocating conveying slide reciprocable on said fixed 'slide' base, said slide having a powder measuring orifice movable between said hopper discharge opening and said powder releasing opening, said slide having a surface for closing the powder hopper discharge opening when the orifice is removed from said discharge opening, said orifice being movable between the powder hopper discharge opening and the powder releasing opening; a rotary eccentric means; a drive connected between said reciprocating slide and said eccentric drive means having a slot and stud connection with said driving means whereby said slide remains stationary at each end'of its reciprocating movement during rotation of said driving,

3 charge opening; and switch means connected to said circuit to start said motor. I

2. A cartridge shell powder charging device including a powder dispensing-hopper having a discharge opening; a fixed slide base'h'aving a powder releasing opening spaced laterally from said hopper discharge opening; a reciprocating conveying slide reciprocable on said fixed slide base, said slide having a powder measuring orifice movable between said hopper discharge opening and said powder releasing opening, said slide base serving as a retaining bottom for said orifice; a rotary eccentric means; a drive con-. nected to said reciprocating slide and said eccentric drive means having a slot and stud connection with said driving means whereby said slide remains stationary at each end of its reciprocating movement during rotation of its driving means, reciprocating movement of said slide carrying a measured charge of powder from said hopper discharge opening to said releasing opening; a motor actuating said driving means; a control switch connected to said'motor to stop said motor, driving means, and slide at a point in each cycle of operation so that said orifice is located between said hopper discharge opening and said powder releasing opening and out of communication with said hopper discharge opening; and a starting switch connected to said motor circuit.

WARREN S. REYNOLDS, 

